Missile launching apparatus



June 12, 1962 Filed Feb. 17, 1960 s. VON TIESENHAUSEN V 3,038,383

MISSILE LAUNCHING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 20 I Z P 1 Georg vonTiesenhuusen, INVENTOR.

BY $515 wj June 12, 1962 G. VON TIESENHAUSEN MISSILE LAUNCHING APPARATUS4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 17. 1960 w mm moi a INVENTOR.

June 12, 1962 e. VON TIESENHAUSEN 3,038,383

MISSILE LAUNCHING APPARATUS I Filed Feb. 17, 1960 I 4 Sheets-Sheet :s

Georg von Tiesenhausen INVEN TOR.

ay-W June 12, 1962 G. VON TIESENHAUSEN 3,038,383

MISSILE LAUNQHING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 17, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 J.(C) w I I w 'lfllllHlllIHIMIHIIJINIHMI States The invention describedherein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government forgovernmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

My invention relates to apparatus to support missiles for launchingthereof from a launching pad and more particularly, to such apparatus tosecure the missiles thereto prior to the launching.

. Missiles originally included single engines disposed for combustion offuel therein to produce axial thrust. The missiles were superimposedupon level surfaces of conventional pads for firing and the enginesrapidly developed the value of thrust required for launching. Whenpayloads are increased, such missiles are required to be secured to thelaunching pad, to provide for development by the single engine ofsuflicient value of thrust for launching.

For still greater payloads, missiles are provided with multiple enginesdisposed in clusters around the missile axes. The period of maximumthrust development varies in the individual engines'and the multipleengine missiles are required to be retained on the launching pad untilthe development of substantially equal thrust in the engines forlaunching equilibrium of the missiles.

characteristically, missiles are provided with high centers of gravity,and in shipboard application launching pads require means to secure themissiles to the launching surfaces of the pads and provide cantileversupport of the missiles to compensate for the roll of the ships. Themeans are required to release the missiles for launching only when thesurfaces are substantially horizontal.

An object of my invention therefore is to provide apparatus disposed tosupport missiles for launching and to secure the missiles thereto, priorto the launching.

Another object of my invention is to provide such apparatus disposed toretain missiles on the launching pads therefor for development of apredetermined thrust therein prior to the launching.

.A further object of my invention is to provide such apparatus disposedto provide cantilever support for missiles fired from ships.

' In carrying out my invention, a tailgrab includes a plurality ofclamps spacedly secured to a launching pad and the clamps are pivotedbetween positions, of engagement with the transversely projecting tailflange of a missile to retain the missile on the launching pad, and ofdisengagement from the flange. Levers corresponding to the clamps arepivoted on the pad between armed positions to retain the clamps in theengagement positions and disarmed positions free of the levers. Thetailgrab also includes a device for retention of the levers in the armedpositions and for release of the levers responsive to the firing. Thelevers are disposed for displacement between the armed and disarmedpositions responsive to the launching.

. A delay period of substantially 25 milliseconds from the beginning ofcombustion in the engines to the launching has been incorporated in thetailgrab. This period has been found sutficient for singleengine-missiles with high loading and for equalization of thrust inmultiple-engine missiles. However, longer time delays are contemplatedfor still larger missiles.

In shipboard application, the tailgrabs are disposed for cantileversupport of the missiles on the launching pads to compensate for the rollof the ships.

For more complete understanding, reference is directed i atet 2 to thefollowing description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a missile secured to one embodiment ofmy invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a clamp of such embodiment;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged elevation of the clamp in closed position;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 with the clamp in open position;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged elevation of a connector of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a similar view of the connector after rupture;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the embodiment with analternate form of arming device in the armed position thereof;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 with the arming device in thedisarmed position.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged view, partly cut away, of the separator shown inFIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 10 is "a view similar to FIGURE 9 of the separator after release.

Accordingly, a launching pad 12 is secured to a base 14 and providedwith a surface 16 for engagement with a projecting tail flange 18disposed in transverse relation with a principal axis 19 of a missile20. The missile is provided with a power plant 21 for combustion of fueltherein to produce thrust. A tailgrab 22 is provided with clamps 24spacedly secured to pad 12. Each of the clamps includes a transverseshaft 26 with arms 28 and a leg 30 secured to the shaft in angularrelation to form a crank 32. Each shaft is rotatable in apertures 34 ofa pair of spaced brackets 36 secured to pad 12. One end of a link 38 ofclamp 24 is pinned at 46 to each of the legs and link 38 includes aprojecting pin 42 in the opposite end thereof. Adjustable fingers 44 arerespectively secured to arms 28 for engagement with flange -18.

Levers 46 respectively corresponding to links 38 are provided withsemi-cylindrical grooves 48 and the levers are respectively pivoted at50 in brackets 52 secured to pad 12. The levers operate between armedpositions for engagement of shafts 26 with ends 54 of apertures 34 p andof grooves 48 with pins 42 to stress cranks 32 and apply pressure toflange 18 to secure missile 20 to surface 16, and disarmed positions outof the engagement. Safety links '56, are provided to connect links 38and corresponding levers 46 and temporarily secure the lovers in thearmed positions.

An arming device '57 for securing levers 46 in the armed positions,includes pulleys 58 rotatably secured to the free ends of levers 46, acable 60 with portions for engagement with pulleys 58 and connectors 62disposed to connect adjacent ends of the cable portions to retain thelevers in the armed positions. Links 56 are removed when missiles 20 areto be fired.

Each of connectors 62 includes a portion 76 of reduced section and anaxial bore 78 projecting into section 76. A squib 80 is disposed in bore78 and connected by wires 82 for electrical detonation responsive tofiring of missile 20 for rupture of portion 76 to release levers 46.

In the armed positions of levers 46, the centers of pins 42 aredisplaced towards levers 46 from the line of centers of pins 40 and 42by adjustable stop 84 secured to pad 12. Relief of the stress of cranks32 rotates levers 46 to the disarmed positions responsive to therelease.

Apertures 34 are elongated and shafts 26 fall in the aperturesresponsive to operation of levers 46 for displacement of arms 28 out ofpossible interference with missile 20 in launching. Cams 88 are securedto shafts 26 and stops 90 are secured to pad 12 for engagement toprevent 3 counter rotation of cranks 32 and rebound interference of thearms with missile 20.

FIGURE 7 shows abase 12 with a missile 92 supported thereon and providedwith a principal axis 93 and engines 94 clustered therearound. An armingdevice 95 includes respective separators 96 pivotally secured at 98 topad 12 and at 100 to the free ends of levers 46 for retention thereof inthe armed positions.

Each of the separators includes members 102 and 104 with an axialcylinder 106 in member 102 and a plurality of balls 108 radiallyslidable therein. A piston 110 in member 102 is biased by a spring 112in member 104 for engagement of a flanged portion 113 of the piston toretain balls 108 between member 102 and an inwardly projecting flange114 of member 104.

Cylinders 106 are connected through conduits 116, pipes 118 and asolenoid valve 120 to a source 122 of compressed air secured to pad 12.

Valve 120 of device 95 is electrically connected for flow of thecompressed air to cylinder 106, responsive to combustion of fuel inengines 94. Piston 110 is slida ble, responsive to the air flow, forcompression of spring 112 and disengagement of balls 108 from portion113 and flange 114 for release of member 102 and consequent release oflevers 46 from the armed positions. A section 124 of flange 114 iscurved to facilitate the disengagement therefrom of balls 108.

Operation Tail grabs 22 are secured to launching pads 12 for time delayof the launching of missiles from the beginning of combustion of thefuel in the engines of the missiles.

In a single engine missile the delay is required for development ofsufiicient thrust in the engine to lift the missile in the launching.Multiple engine missiles are delayed until the thrusts of the enginesare equalized for equilibrium of the missile in the launching.

In shipboard application, a launching pad may be considered to berotatable about a line in the missile engagement surface thereof duringroll of the ship. Missiles generally are provided with high centers ofgravity and launching pads are provided with tailgrabs to secure themissiles to the pad for cantilever support of the missiles during theroll.

of the roll.

While the foregoing is a description of the preferred embodiment, thefollowing claims are intended to include those modifications andvariations that are within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for launching a missile provided with a principal axis, atransversely projecting tail flange, and a power plant for combustion offuel therein to produce thrust; comprising: a pad for supporting themissile for firing thereof provided with a surface; and a tailgrabsecured to said pad and disposed for engagement with the flange toretain the missile in engagement with said surface, and disengagementfrom the flange to release the missile responsive to the firing, saidtailgrab comprising a plurality of clamps spacedly secured to said padand respectively provided with closed and open positions correspondingto the engagement and disengagement; levers secured to said pad andpivoted between armed positions for respective engagement with saidclamps for retention thereof in the closed positions, and disarmedpositions out of engagement; and an arming device disposed for engagement to securesaid levers in the armed positions, and for disengagementfrom said levers responsive to the firing, each of said clampscomprising a crank with a shaft, a link having one end thereof pinned tosaid crank, a pair of brackets secured to said pad and provided withrespective apertures for engagement therebetween of said shaft andtransversely-axised rotation of said crank between the open and closedpositions, and an adjustable finger Arming device 57 is provided forrelease of the missiles for launching at predeterminedpoints d securedto said clamp for the flange engagement; and each of said levers beingdisposed for engagement with the opposite end of said link in the armedposition to secure the corresponding crank in the closed position.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 with said opposite end and said leverprovided with a projecting pin and a semicylindrical groove forcooperation and application of stress to said crank to apply pressure tothe flange in the armed position, and with an adjustable stop secured tosaid pad for armed position displacement of the center of saidprojecting pin in the direction of said lever from the line of pivotcenters of said link and arm for rotation of said levers between saidarmed and disarmed positions responsive to relief of the stress in saidcranks.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2 with said arming device comprising pulleyssecured to the free ends of said levers; a cable including portionsdisposed for engagement with said pulleys; connectors respectivelysecured between adjacent ends of said cable portions to retain saidlevers in the armed positions; and squibs enclosed in said connectorsand disposed for electrical detonation to rupture said connectors andrelease said levers, responsive to the firing.

4. Apparatus as in claim 3 with each of said connectors comprising abody with a portion of reduced section and an aperture projectingtherein for enclosure of said squibs; said squibs being electricallyconnected for detonation to rupture said reduced section portion andrelease said levers responsive to the firing.

5. Apparatus as in claim 4 with said bracket apertures elongated forengagement of said shafts with respective ends thereof in the closed andopen positions; stops secured to said pads; and cams secured to saidshafts for engagement with said pads to retain said cranks in the openpositions.

6. Apparatus as in claim 5 with said tailgrabs disposed for cantileversupport of the missiles on said pads.

'7. Apparatus for launching a missile provided with a principal axis, atransversely projecting tail flange, and a power plant for combustion offuel therein to produce thrust; comprising: a pad for supporting themissile for firing thereof provided with a surface; and a tailgrabsecured to said pad and disposedfor engagement with the flange to retainthe missile in engagement with said surface, and disengagement from theflange to release the missile responsive to the firing, said tailgrabcomprising a plurality of clamps spacedly secured to said pad andrespectively provided with closed and open positions corresponding tothe engagement and disengagement; levers secured to said pad and pivotedbetween armed positions for respective engagement with said clamps forretention thereof in the closed positions, and disarmed positions out ofengagement; and an arming device disposed for engagement to secure saidlevers in the armed positions, and for disengagement from said leversresponsive to the firing, each of said clamps comprising a crank with ashaft, a link having one end thereof pinned to said crank, a pair ofbrackets secured to said pad and provided with respective apertures forengagement therebetween of said shaft and transversely-axised rotationof said crank between the open and closed positions, and an adjustablefinger secured to said clamp for the flange engagement; and each of saidlevers being disposed for engagement with the opposite end of said linkin the armed position to secure the corresponding crank in the closedposition, said opposite end and said lelver provided with a projectingpin and a semi-cylindrical groove for cooperation and application ofstress to said crank to apply pressure to the flange in the armedposition, and an adjustable stop secured to said pad for armed po sitiondisplacement of the center of said projecting pin in the direction ofsaid lever from the line of pivot centers of said link and arm forrotation of said levers between said armed and disarmed positionsresponsive to relief of the stress in said cranks, saidarming devicecomprising a source of compressed air secured to said pad; separatorsrespectively secured between said pad and said levers for retentionthereof in the armed positions; and a solenoid valve disposed inconnected relation between said source and said separators for operationthereof to release said levers responsive to the firing.

8. Separators as in claim 7 with each thereof comprising a pair ofmembers respectively secured to said pad and one of said levers andrespectively provided with a cylinder in the connected relation and aninwardly projecting flange; balls radially sliclable in said cylindermember; and a piston disposed in said cylinder in biased relation forengagement of said balls between said cylinder member and said flangefor the retention; said piston being slidably disposed for release ofsaid flange member responsive to the solenoid valve operation.

9. A separator as in claim 8 with a spring disposed in said flangemember for the biased relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,831,400 Hosli Apr. 22, 1958 2,867,153 Hirsch Jan. 6, 1959 2,927,398Kaye et al Mar. 8, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 914,341 France June 17, 1946

